Earth working tool



Oct. 13 1953 R. (3. LE TOURNEAU EARTH WORKING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed May 2'7, 1949 INVENTOR Row 7'. 6. LETOURNEM ct. 13, 1953 R. 6. LETOURNEAU 2,655,039

EARTH WORKING TOOL Filed May 27, 1949 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 22 NW E Q;lNl/E/VT'OR 1 OEERT 6. LETOURNEAU w Patented Oct. 13, 1953 EARTH WORKINGTOOL Robert G. Le Tourneau, Longview, Tex., assignor to R. G. LeTourneau, Inc., Longview, Tex., and Peoria, 111., a corporation ofCalifornia Application May 27, 1949, Serial No. 95,632

3 Claims.

This invention is directed to, and it is the main object to provide, animproved adjustment means, especially suited, but not limited, to rootcutting devices carried on heavy duty tractors.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustment mechanismwhich is selectively power-operated from controls in the operator'scockpit.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an adjustmentmechanism for an agricultural or earth working tool which ispoweroperated by the same means as that employed to raise or lower thetool, i. e., cable control system; this feature will reduce the numberof parts required for maintenance, etc.

A still further object is to provide an adjustment means located at thefront of the tractor for controlling the pitch of a blade suspended fromthe rear. This will allow the operator to know from observation theapproximate pitch of the blade even though the blade is buried in theground.

Another object is to provide in this combination a blade mount which istrapezoidal in cross section, so that when the blade is adjusted to itsnormal digging angle, this mount causes the earth to rise withouteruption and pass over the blade mount and lay back in the same relativeposition it occupied before the out.

A further object is to provide a practical, reliable, heavy duty rootcutting mechanism, and yet one which will be exceedingly eiiective forthe purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims:

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a tractor embodying the invention. Theroot cutting blade here being under ground in normal operating position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof but with the blade out of the ground,and with the cab removed.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, this root cutting mechanism is suspended and adjustablyattached to heavy duty tractor 1 powered by an engine 2 and propelledalong the ground by large steel Wheels 3. The tractor itself is composedof a rigid case 4 which supports a cab 6 and an engine 2 which drives anin-line generator the rotor of which in turn is connected to and drivesa transmission input shaft and through driving connections ultimatelysupplies power to the wheels 3. A tractor of this type may be morecarefully observed in my co-pending application #727,804, filed February11, 1947.

The invention at hand consists of the root cutting mechanism which isemployed on this tractor. This mechanism includes a frame comprising ayoke indicated generally at 1 and a blade support indicated at 8, and asupport structure indicated at 9; this mechanism is suspended from thetractor by means of front and rear A-frames Ill and H. Examining theyoke 1 it is seen to consist of side arms or plowbeams I2 and tubularcross beam l3 which contains sheave housing M at its mid-section. Bladesupport 8 includes plates 15, one of which is bolted to the yoke 1between cross beam l3 and side arms 12 at each side. Each plate [5extends rearwardly to receive a vertical support [6 which depends toconnect to a V-shaped blade mount I! including removable blades l8.

It will be readily observed from Figure 1 that side arms or plowbeams l2are pivotally mounted forward of the tractor body while blade support 8and blades 18 are mounted rearwardly of the tractor body. Use of a longside arm construction has been found to give better penetration of theblades in the earth since there is a flatter angle of draft. Thus thehinged mounting of the side arms forward of the tractor accomplishes newand useful results and results in an improved implement which could nototherwise be achieved with so compact and close coupled an arrangement.

Sheave housing [4, together with sheave housing l 9 and reversibleelectric winch 20, make up a power operated cable control system forraising or lowering the rear end of yoke I and consequently the blade[8.

At the front of tractor I, the T-shaped supporting structure has an arm9b pivoted to tractor case 4 by means of ball and socket connections 2|.The support structure 9 is also pivoted to yoke l by means of ball andsocket connections 22 which join crosspiece 9a of the T with the forwardends of side arms l2. A sheave housing 23 is mounted on arm 9b and isoperatively connected with sheaves of housing 24 mounted centrally offront A-frame l0 and with reversible electric winch 25.

Generator 5 being driven by engine 2 supplies sufficient electricalpower to operate both winch units 20 and 25 simultaneously if desiredthrough electric control. switches mounted in cab 6 at convenient reachof the operator.

Operation When the operator moves the blade hoist switch to an upposition, electric winch 2B rotates in a direction to reel in cable andthe rear end of yoke 1 moves up in an are about pivot 22. In actualpractice, due to the long radius of side arms l2, this movement issubstantially vertical over most of the operating range. When theoperator moves this switch to the down position, the electric winchreverses and pays out cable to permit the blade and yoke to lower undertheir own weight.

When it is desirable to change the pitch or bite of blade I8, theoperator moves the adjustment switch up which causes winch 25 to reel incable and raise support structure 9 in an are about its pivot 2|. Sincethe structure 9 is pivoted to yoke I, the latter rises in the same areat this point. This movement is transmitted to and causes an upward tiltof blade l8. When the adjustment switch is moved to the down? positionstructure 9 lowers and the reverse tilting of blade i8 is accomplished.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein. It is to be understood that while thisinvention has been described as embodied in a root cutting mechanism, itmay be embodied in other earth working tools as well.

While the specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of this mechanism, still in practice such deviations fromsuch detail may be .resorted to as do not form a departure from thespirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. An earth working tool comprising: a tractor; an arm pivotally mountedon said tractor and extending forwardly therefrom for movement in avertical plane; a crosspiece carried by said arm and extendingtransversely of said tractor and spaced forwardly from the front endthereof; a yoke having arms extending along the sides of said tractor; apivotal connection between each of said yoke arms and said crosspiece; ablade supported by said yoke and extending transversely of said tractor,said blade being disposed rearwardly of said tractor; power meansoperable to rotate said yoke arms about said pivotal connection to raiseand lower said blade and power means operable to rotate said arm aboutits pivotal mount on the tractor and thereby raise or lower thecrosspiece to vary the pitch of saidblade.

2. An earth working tool comprising a tractor, a supporting structureforwardly extending from the tractor, and including an arm pivotallymounted on the tractor and a crosspiece carried by the arm, a pair ofrigid frame plowbeams, one on each side of the tractor and each hingedto the crosspiece at a position forward of the tractor, an earth workingimplement carried by said plowbeams rearwardly of said tractor, andraising and lowering means for the supporting structure whereby theangle of draft of said imple ment can be controlled.

3. An earth working tool comprising a tractor; a supporting structureincluding .a crosspiece disposed forwardly of the tractor and a.longitudinal arm extending rearwardly from the crosspiece and pivoted atits free end to the tractor; a pair of rigid frame plowbeams, one oneach side of the tractor and each hinged to-the crosspiece at a positionforward of the tractor; and an earth working implement carried by saidplowbeams rearwardly of said tractor; whereby upon imparting a liftingforce to the crosspiece the arm will pivot on its support and permit thecrosspiece to be raised or lowered to control the angle of draft-of saidimplement.

ROBERT G. LE TOURNEAU.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 418,819 Ranney Aug. 30, 1892 1,765,746 Stubenberg June 24,1930 1,974,520 Stewart Sept. 25, 1934 2,151,270 Hamill Mar. 21, 19392,185,179 Bird et al. Jan. 2, 1940 2,190,347 Austin Feb. 13, 19402,292,904 Shollenberger Aug. 11, 1942 2,322,256 Rubens June 22, 19432,339,830 Zink et al. Jan. 25, 1944 2,429,463 Hurl'imann Oct. 21, 1947

